THE BADGE OF A TRUE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST

20160616 THE BADGE OF A TRUE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Ecclesiasticus 48:1-15 ©

The prophet Elijah arose like a fire,

  his word flaring like a torch.

It was he who brought famine on the people,

  and who decimated them in his zeal.

By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens,

  he also, three times, brought down fire.

How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah!

  Has anyone reason to boast as you have? –

rousing a corpse from death,

  from Sheol by the word of the Most High;

dragging kings down to destruction,

  and high dignitaries from their beds;

hearing reproof on Sinai,

  and decrees of punishment on Horeb;

anointing kings as avengers,

  and prophets to succeed you;

taken up in the whirlwind of fire,

  in a chariot with fiery horses;

designated in the prophecies of doom

  to allay God’s wrath before the fury breaks,

to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children,

  and to restore the tribes of Jacob,

Happy shall they be who see you,

  and those who have fallen asleep in love;

for we too will have life.

Elijah was shrouded in the whirlwind,

  and Elisha was filled with his spirit;

throughout his life no ruler could shake him,

  and no one could subdue him.

No task was too hard for him,

  and even in death his body prophesied.

In his lifetime he performed wonders,

  and in death his works were marvellous.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 96:1-7 ©

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.

The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,

  let all the coastlands be glad.

Cloud and darkness are his raiment;

  his throne, justice and right.

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.

A fire prepares his path;

  it burns up his foes on every side.

His lightnings light up the world,

  the earth trembles at the sight.

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.

The mountains melt like wax

  before the Lord of all the earth.

The skies proclaim his justice;

  all peoples see his glory.

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.

Let those who serve idols be ashamed,

  those who boast of their worthless gods.

  All you spirits, worship him.

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

1S3:9,Jn6:68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:

you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or

Rm8:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

The spirit you received is the spirit of sons,

and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 6:7-15 ©

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this:

‘Our Father in heaven,

may your name be held holy,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

And do not put us to the test,

but save us from the evil one.

‘Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.’

THE BADGE OF A TRUE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ ECCL 48:1-14; MT 6:7-15 ]

The rule of prayer is the rule of faith.  This is the fundamental axiom with respect to the liturgy.  What we pray for is how we live out our faith.  Hence, we can appreciate the importance of Jesus teaching His disciples to pray.  The Lord’s Prayer in St Matthew is located in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, which is basically the summary of Christ’s teaching on Christian discipleship.  St Luke however situates the Lord’s Prayer in the context of His disciples asking Him to teach them to pray as John’s disciples did. (cf Lk 11:1)  The point remains that the disciples needed a badge to identify themselves as Christ’s disciples.

Indeed, today, every Christian is taught to pray the Lord’s Prayer.  This has become the hallmark of a Christian.  There is no prayer that is prayed so universally and daily than the Lord’s Prayer. It is even prayed by non-Christians.  Yet, it is important to take note that in the early Church as it is today in the Catechumenate, the Lord’s Prayer is given only to those who are already disciples of the Lord.  Only Christians are taught the Lord’s Prayer simply because the Lord’s Prayer sums up the basic attitudes of a Christian towards God, himself and his relationship with others.  It is the most succinct and concise summary of the life of a Christian.  That is why it is considered the trademark of a disciple of Christ.

So what does it mean to pray the Lord’s Prayer in such a way that it reflects our understanding of what it takes to be a disciple of our Lord?  In the first place, a disciple is called to focus everything on God so that everything is seen in perspective.  Who we are is defined by our relationship with God because we are His creatures.

But in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus invites us to say, “Our Father in heaven.”   If we are truly Christians, our relationship with God cannot be an abstract relationship.  We do not even simply address God as a generic term, but even when God is referred to in the liturgy He is always the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.   So it is pertinent that as Christians we pray not just to God but to this God who is our Father.  He is not just our creator but He is God, the Father Almighty, as we say in the creed.  The implication of calling God our Father means that we can have a personal relationship with Him.  God is not a mere force, a power, a feeling or some abstract quality but He is a person.  We are called to relate with the Father in an intimate manner like the way we relate with our parents.

Calling God our Father has deeper ramifications.  The corollary of calling God our Father is the responsibility of living up to our identity as children of the Father.  In the first place, we do not say God is “my Father”.  Only Jesus calls God “my Father” but as Christians we address God as “Our Father” because we are all His children.  If we are the children of God the Father, it devolves to us the responsibility of looking after each other because we are all brothers and sisters of the same Father.  Therefore, there is no question of discrimination and cruelty towards our brothers and sisters.

Secondly, to be known as God’s children, we have a responsibility to show ourselves as such.  This we do by living a life that is befitting of the name of the Father.  Hence, the second line of the Lord’s Prayer amplifies the first phrase which is the petition that His “name be held holy.”   To keep the name of God holy is to live our lives in such a way that we reflect the face of God the Father.  Otherwise people will not recognize the holiness of God because of our counter-witnessing in the way we think, act and speak. To sanctify the name of God is not so much just in prayer but to live a life of sanctification so that the holiness of God is displayed in His children.  Otherwise we bring shame to Him.

After addressing God as our Father, the Christian is asked to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.”  What is the ultimate goal of a Christian if not to live with the Father and to reign with Him on earth and in heaven?  The whole life and message of Jesus was to proclaim the Kingdom of God.  To usher the Kingdom of God, Jesus invites us to do His Will.  The Kingdom of God is not so much a place but the reign of God in our lives.  So when we pray for the coming of God’s kingdom, what we are praying is that His reign be in us; and that we will submit to His rule which is identical with His will.  Doing the will of God is what will give us peace and joy.  Our life on earth is but a time to make the kingdom of God more and more present in our lives as we seek to do God’s will in all things.

But it is difficult to do the will of God if we do not see Him as our Heavenly Father who loves us and as the Almighty Father who takes care of us.  The rule of God and His will is identical with His wisdom.  Many people fight against the will of God and if they do obey, they submit merely out of resignation and often in resentment.  But we are called to embrace the will of God because His kingdom and His will are one.  To enter into the kingdom means to embrace the will of God in our lives as we submit our will, mind and heart to Him.   But we do this because we trust in His divine wisdom and His love for us.

Again in the context of our Heavenly Father’s wisdom and love, we can now approach Him with confidence as we pray for our human needs in life.  The God who loves us is One who cares personally for our well-being.  We pray first for our current and present needs in life.  So we should not fear asking God our Father to “Give us today our daily bread.”   God has come to restore us both in body and soul.  The bread we ask is the bread of today.   Jesus did not ask us to pray for the bread of tomorrow because He wants us to trust in Him and not to depend on ourselves.  Otherwise, when we are self-sufficient, we become proud and arrogant and deceive ourselves into thinking we can do without God, as what is happening in the world today.  Man has become so proud of himself and his achievements and decreed himself to be god!  The problem in the world today is not because there is insufficient food but because the world’s resources are consumed by 20% of the people on this earth.  If we pray that our Father gives us our daily bread, then we must cooperate with Him by offering bread to others that the Father has given us in excess of our needs.  What is beyond our daily needs are to be shared with others who have nothing to eat even for the day!

Of course, this bread also refers to the Bread of Tomorrow, not the material bread but the spiritual food.  Hence, the double emphasis of today and daily is used.  When we say, give us today our daily bread, we are actually asking that the bread of tomorrow, that is the bread of life, the Eucharist which is an anticipation of the heavenly banquet, be given to us also.  We need the Word of God and the Eucharist to sustain us in this life so that we can arrive at the kingdom.  Only this bread can help us to fight the battles of the past and of tomorrow.

Thus, in the next petition, we ask the Lord to heal our past because the past makes us prisoners.  Many of us cannot let go of our hurts.  We cannot forgive ourselves and we cannot forgive others.  We live in our prison of hatred, anger and fear.  We need to let go of the past if we want to live in the present fully.  That is why the Lord asks us to pray for forgiveness.  “And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.”  To pray this petition of course implies that we are aware of our own sinfulness.   Forgiveness can be given only to those who acknowledge their sins.  This is why many today are not conscious of their sins because they are enslaved by them and blinded by their selfishness.

However, to be healed of our past, we need to receive forgiveness from God and then pass on to others.  We cannot expect to receive God’s forgiveness if we do not forgive others.  This is what Jesus is reminding us. “Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.”   The reason is simple, by not forgiving others, we do not forgive ourselves, and the anger, hatred and resentment continue to remain with us.  So if we want to receive forgiveness, we must pass on the forgiveness already given to us.  If we cannot forgive others, then we cannot forgive ourselves.  There can be no peace till we are ready to forgive.

Finally, the last petition is to pray for the future.  We can never be too presumptuous about our future although we are invited to trust and rely on God.  This is what the last petition is asking for.  “And do not put us to the test, but save us from the evil one.”  Temptations abound all day.  Even Jesus was not spared from the Temptation of the Evil One.  That is why we must always be on the alert because temptations can come from all sides.  It can come from outside when we are tempted by greed and lust and vanity.  It can come from within when we are filled with pride, anger and envy.  It can come from our enemies but most of the time they come from our friends who will tempt us to sin.  We are most vulnerable when the temptation comes from our loved ones because we are too weak to say no.

So the only antidote to sin is to remind ourselves of our dignity as God’s children so that we will behave like one.  We give in to temptation and sin because we are not conscious of our position as God’s children.  Every time we sin, we disgrace our Heavenly Father and we hurt Him because He loves us and suffers to see us hurting ourselves. If only we know how much He loves us, then as a true beloved we will not do anything to hurt our lover.  So the crux of today’s lesson is, do you believe that God is our Father?  If we do, then we will act like His children, live like His children and bring glory to His name.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved